


On Air

by guardianofloyalty



Series: Gotham's Radio Show [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Radio, Autistic Tim Drake, BAMF Jason Todd, BAMF Tim Drake, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Dick Grayson Has ADHD, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Friends to Lovers, Gen, I Blame Tumblr, If Jay and Tim had a radio show, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Jack Drake's A+ parenting, Janet Drake's A+ Parenting, Jason Todd is Robin, Latino Jason Todd, M/M, Past Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake, Slow Burn, Stephanie Brown is Spoiler, Tim Drake Has Anxiety Disorder, Tim Drake is Bad at Self-Care, Tim Drake is Catlad | Stray, Tim Drake is HC, Tim is Steph's guy in the chair, tim drake is a meme
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:42:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23097292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guardianofloyalty/pseuds/guardianofloyalty
Summary: Tim started the radio show as an inside joke with Stephanie. Soon however it turned into Tim's best kept secret and Gotham's most loved radio show.ORTim starts a radio show. Chaos ensues.ON HOLD
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Series: Gotham's Radio Show [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1781833
Comments: 27
Kudos: 282





	1. Raspberries and Water Bottles

**Author's Note:**

> OK! I had this thought after listening to some Game Grumps funny moments and well....here we are!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How Tim Drake created an alter-ego as Honey.

'No! Steph, No! I am not starting a radio show just so you can crash it as Spoiler!' Tim threw his hands in the air. Him and his best friend, Stephanie Brown, were sitting on her bed throwing raspberries in each other's mouths. 

'Oh come on, Timbers! It'll be fun! Plus you'll get interviews with Spoiler! That'll get you known as a reporter and give you a chance.' Tim nearly retorted with an insult but realised Stephanie was right. He hadn't managed to get himself on the scene as a reporter and this would give him the chance to get noticed. 'Ah...so when I bring up being a reporter you immediately think about it but when I beg you for days you don't.' Stephanie pouted and crossed her arms. 

Tim rolled his eyes. 'Steph...I wasn't going to do it because I've already got so much on my plate! I barely get 3-4 hours of sleep! I work cases with you, run your coms and make sure you know where you're going, do my homework-don't give me that look.' He pointed at her, glaring. 'Follow Batman and Robin around sometimes Nightwing as well, work on my coding skills so you can hack things easily.' Tim flopped backwards onto Stephanie's bed, the pillows melded around him.

He stared at the ceiling. It was covered in posters and small glow in the dark stars. However, Tim knew that it could be easily turned into a case board within minutes. Tim always carried a version of their current case with him, under 13 different passwords of course. Most of the time, he carried different coloured strings with him as well so he could connect the case. A wall in his bedroom was covered in red/yellow strings along with evidence photos and mugshots of criminals. There was a curtain that could cover it of course, in case his parents ever actually came back from being abroad. Tim had been helping Stephanie out with vigilante stuff for a few months now. He would run coms, aka a coms unit she stole from Robin, and tec. Most of the time that meant hacking into the GCPD database or scrubbing security cameras but some of the time it involved responding to Riddler's frankly somewhat easy riddles. 

Tim wasn't a vigilante per-say...he was more tec support. The guy in the chair. Every superhero needed a guy in the chair. Tim was Steph's. He didn't have a codename however...he would have to work on that. Something nerdy most likely. 

'Steph? If I do it will you let it go?' He lifted his head up to see her reaction. She nodded vigorously. 'Fine! I'll do the stupid radio show. Just know I'll be blaming you if I end up getting kidnapped because of it.' At this Stephanie paled slightly. 'Shit. Steph, I-I'm not gonna get kidnapped. Plus I have self-defence and you on speed dial so it's fine.' The colour somewhat returned to Stephanie's face but she sheepishly laid down next to Tim and hugged him. 

'I'm not going anywhere, Eggplant.' Stephanie chuckled slightly at the nickname. She tapped Tim's nose and then tightened her arms around him. 

'You better not, Stalker.' Tim pouted slightly but smiled. 

'I'm not a stalker Steph...' She rolled her eyes. 'Ok maybe I am but it was out of admiration!' Tim released himself from Steph and grabbed his water bottle, taking a swig. He also threw Stephanie's at her but she didn't catch it in time. It hit her in the eye. Tim burst out laughing, causing a spray of water to come out of his mouth. He clutched his chest as he fell back onto the bed, wheezing. 

Steph was mock glaring at Tim as she picked up her water bottle. She glanced down at it and then back up at Tim, smirking. She threw it full force at Tim, satisfied with the cough he made when it hit his stomach. 

'This bruise is gonna be a pain to cover up, asshole.' Steph pouted, covering her eye. She could already feel a bruise forming. 

'So...I'm doing the radio show but..my parents cannot know. They'll ground me 6 feet under. Maybe I'll give myself a fake name...hmm no I'll just create a persona! Something different from Tim Drake but not different enough that I can't work with it.' Tim had stood up and was now pacing in Steph's bedroom. 'Oh! You that photography blog I used to run! I'll just use the handle as my name! Honey-Cake!' His eyes were slightly wider and his face brighter having figured out his so called 'problem'. Stephanie just rolled her eyes. 

'Honey-Cake? Really?' She raised an eyebrow at the dark haired boy who simply stuck his tongue out at her. 

'I can use the mic I have for coms and all I need to do is sync up my Spotify with my what I use for the radio show.' Tim chuckled, crossing his arms. 'Honey-Cake radio starts on Friday night.' 


	2. Coffee and Gate Crashing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim's first time on air doesn't quite go as planned due to him having to send in a tip to the GCPD.
> 
> AKA Seeing Tim in action as Steph's eyes and ears!

Tim was in the middle of answering a caller when Stephanie sent the text. He immediately apologised to the caller and told them it was time to get on the network. 'So sorry listeners but it seems that my vigilante friend, Spoiler, needs some help. I won't be going on the field but I will however be providing support from here! Let's get to it.' 

Tim grabbed his phone and dialled the number for the GCPD. 'Hello? Yes. I need to talk to Commissioner Gordon. I'm a friend of Spoiler.' He waited a few moments and then heard Jim Gordon take the phone. 'Commissioner Gordon? No this is not a prank. This is about Scarecrow. He's currently talking to one of the drugs lords on the docks. Yeah, it's bad. If he manages to get the fear toxin on the streets...well it doesn't bode well. Get the Batsignal up. I've already got my friend near the scene keeping on eye on things and giving me updates. Arkham doesn't know he's out either which means other villains could be and we don't know. Get. The Batsignal. Up. Gordon. Now.' Tim emphasised his point by hanging up at the end. He then fiddled with this laptop and the panel next to him. 

'Ok, Spoiler you are on the air. Keep my updated would you. I've sent the tip to Gordon and he should be lighting up the signal any second. Him and Bullock should be down at the docks within a couple minutes. Batman and Robin are patrolling in the Upper East Side so they shouldn't be very long. Especially because of the type of threat this poses.' Tim was busy typing away, hacking the cameras nearby so he could have eyes on the situation. 'Promise me you won't engage. You haven't gone toe to toe with a villain yet. You've barely managed to face C class criminals. Crane's too advanced for you.' 

A sigh could be heard through the silence. 'Thanks, HC. Keeping me humble.' Tim smiled slightly at Steph's sarcasm. 'Batsignal's up. It won't be long before Batman and Robin get here.' 

Tim sighed in relief, his heartbeat had gone up massively since Stephanie had texted him about Scarecrow. 'Spoiler, do not engage. Do not engage!' He rolled his eyes when he heard grunting and cursing from the line. 

'Don't tell me what to do, HC!' Stephine yelled into the coms. 

'Spoiler, you haven't fought a B class villain before! You don't even have an antidote to the fear toxin! Wait! If Batman and Robin look like they need help then step in but until then, DO NOTHING.' Tim yelled back into the coms. He didn't hear anything for a few minutes apart from breathing. 

'They're here. Batman and Robin...they're here. Crane's been taken care of but it looks like Robin got hit.' Tim heard Steph curse and the sound of impact, looks like she'd dropped down from a rooftop. 'Batman's trying to calm him down so he can give him the antidote but...it's not working. Robin's fighting to hard. He keeps yelling and screaming.' Tim could faintly hear the screams of Robin on the other end. 

'Spoiler...I hate to say this but you might have to knock him out from behind. You have a brilliant right hook, use it.' Tim groaned, rubbing his forehead. 

A grunt, scream and a string of rather impressive curses was heard over the coms. Tim could tell the plan was successful because of the sound of surprise. 

'Is he down?' Tim muttered. 

'He's down. Batman's giving him the antidote but he keeps giving me a weird look.' 

'That's probably because you just punched his son and partner!' Tim laughed. He could hear Stephanie laughing as well. 

'Alright, get out of there. We don't want Batman on our tails too quickly. Plus, he'll probably punch you for punching his son.' Tim chuckled. 'You wanna make your way back? It's getting late and I need to fix that tear in your suit. Take care of any trouble you see on the way back but get home ASAP. I do not want to call in another group of tied up criminals.' Tim groaned and took a sip of his coffee. He heard Stephanie reply with a chuckle before shutting off his coms. 

'Sorry about that listeners! Being the partner to a vigilante means you never know what's gonna happen. We're gonna music break and then we'll be back with the crime news from tonight!' With that, Tim switched off his mic and shuffled his playlist. Panic Room by Au/Ra came on and Tim unplugged his headphones, moving them to around his neck. He chuckled slightly at the irony that the night Scarecrow was arrested the song was picked. He moved into the bathroom and grabbed the med kid, throwing it onto his bed. He shuffled back into his bedroom, taking out a wad of gauze and a couple plasters. Stephanie had gotten into a fight earlier on that night and one of the thugs had pulled a knife on her so he suspected that she had some slash marks. There was a crackle from his coms and his head shot up, Tim ran over to his computer. 

'Spoiler? What is it? Why are you on coms?' However instead of Stephanie's voice, he heard a crime alley accent. 

'So you're the purple fucks eyes and ears! Nice to meet ya, I'm Robin.' Tim's jaw dropped. Robin was on his coms. Wait... _how_ was he on coms?! 

'Where's Spoiler?' He growled, trying his best to sound threatening. 

'Cool it, man. B's having a crack at her since she PUNCHED ME IN THE FACE!' Robin's voice was slightly far away which suggested he was yelling at Stephanie. 'He made her take out her coms since someone could be telling her what to say. I decided to try and activated it and boom! Here we are. So, what's your name?' 

Tim hesitated before replying. 'HC.' 

'Your name is HC? I'm going to assume that's a codename and there goes my plan of tracking you down.' Tim could practically hear the smirk in Robin's voice. 'So, HC...did you make this coms unit? Cause it looks a hell of a lot like a modified Bat-com unit.' Tim cursed in Chinese. He'd scavenged a broken coms unit after a battle between Nightwing and Poison Ivy where she'd broken it. Tim had managed to get it working again and had modified it slightly. 'I would thank you on your handy work and ask if you wanted to make me one but right now I'm more concerned about where the hell _you_ got it from.' Robin's voice turned from amused to slightly angry. 

'Found it.' Was Tim's only reply. Technically, it wasn't a lie so his voice sounded a lot smoother. One thing Tim had learned from sneaking out to watch Batman and Robin was how to lie but he wasn't sure it would hold up against Robin of all people. 'Don't worry, Robin. It was broken when Nightwing left it. I managed to repair it and change the frequency. I also took out the tracker inside do you're not gonna find anything from that apart from a pizza place downtown.' Tim could've sworn he heard Robin snort. 

'Anyways, is Batman done interrogating Spoiler aka offering her a place in the Batfamily?' Tim rolled his eyes, completely deadpan. He wasn't stupid. Stephanie had managed to sneak up on Batman and Robin and also managed to knock one of them out. Batman was going to be impressed and well...he had a habit of taking in kids. 

'Wha-How did you?' Robin spluttered. 

'Just tell him that she needs to get her ass back her _right now._ I do _NOT_ to have to drop off another file of evidence at the GCPD tomorrow because she didn't tell me what happened on patrol before school. So please tell Batman to back off and let her go.' Tim growled again, emphasising every word. He didn't hear a direct reply, only distant voices. There was a small shuffling noise and then he heard Stephanie's voice again. 'Please tell me you didn't tell Batman about my crush on Robin.' Tim groaned. 

He heard Stephanie laugh. 'No no I didn't. He was mostly asking what I was doing near the docks and why I wanted to be a vigilante.' Tim nodded at the explanation. 

'You give him the classic treatment?' He heard a vague movement. 

'Oh right, you can't see me. I'm nodding.' Tim chuckled. 

'Alright, get back home. You need to debrief me and I need to patch you and the suit up before dawn. See you soon, Spoiler.' Tim sighed, stretching out his back. 

'See you soon, Honey-Cake.' 


	3. Books and Mental Breakdowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim runs into Jason Todd at Gotham Library.
> 
> AKA Tim figures out Jason is Robin and has a mental breakdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First beta read Chapter by @OrionOfTheSky

Tim rushed through the doors, closing his umbrella. Of course, the day he walked across the city it decided to pour it down. Of fucking course. Tim shoved the umbrella in the stand and wiped his shoes on the welcome rug. After Stephanie had briefed him on a murder she’d stumbled across, Tim realised that he’d have to start looking at criminology and forensic science in order to solve the case. His cover was that he was doing a school project on the GCPD and wanted it to be as accurate as possible.

“Right, get the books and get back. I need to get back and solve this case before any more people die.” Tim thought as he moved his headphones from around his neck to over his ears and pressed play on his music. Jet Black Heart by 5 Seconds of Summer started playing and he nodded along to the rhythm. He adjusted the leather satchel across his body and walked through towards the main part of the library. It was a quiet Thursday morning so not many people were around.  
He walked over to the front desk and slid forward his library card, his parents had gotten one for him when he reached 7th grade. The receptionist, Mrs Howland, barely glanced at it before giving him a warm smile.

“Ah, Tim! You need anything my dear?” She said, sliding his library card back across to him.

“Actually yes. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the criminology and forensic science books? I've got a school project.” Tim chuckled. He was a regular in the library, Mrs Howland reserved certain books for him sometimes.

“Of course, my dear. It's upstairs on the 4th row and towards the back. Timmy darling, that book I reserved for you has just arrived so be sure to pick that up before you leave.” Mrs Howland beamed before turning back to her computer. Tim gave her a small nod and made his way over to the winding spiral staircase that led you upstairs. It was reminiscent of the various fire escapes lining the streets of Gotham. Tim often wondered if it actually was an old fire escape turned beautiful spiral staircase. In the middle of the metal was a tall stone pillar surrounded by fairy lights, from top to bottom. Tim remembered helping Mrs Howland putting them up vividly.   
Tim reached the top of the staircase and looked out at the top floor. As opposed to the bottom floor which was meant for kids, the upper floor was meant for adults and older teens. It was littered with various bean bags and benches. There were many more bookcases here than downstairs. All of them a beautiful dark oak and floor to ceiling height.

There was only one person on the floor. It was none other than Jason Todd, adopted son of Bruce Wayne and ex-Crime Alley kid/criminal. Jason was running a finger across the spines of books, sticking his tongue out. Apparently, he found what he was looking for as he pulled a book off the shelf. It was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Jason was wearing some ripped dark navy jeans, a pair of worn black converses and a loose grey jumper that showed off his brilliant blue eyes. Tim fumbled for a second before pulling out his camera and pressed the button.   
He looked down at the screen after a second and smiled. It was beautiful. The bookcases behind Jason were out of focus but the teenage boy himself was crystal clear. Tim turned the camera off and put the lens protector back on, keeping the strap around his neck so it hung against his chest. He took a deep breath before walking over to the section he wanted and quickly scanning the shelves for the books he needed. He pulled them out and flicked through a couple of pages before tucking them under his arm and moving to one of the small study rooms. At least...he tried to move to one of the small study rooms. A certain tall 15 year old with curly black hair stopped him before he could do so.

“Tim Drake, right? I've seen you at Bruce's galas before. Jason Todd.” He held out his hand before realising that Tim's arms were filled with large books. “Oh, um...whatcha readin'?” Tim gulped slightly before mumbling his response.

“Criminology and forensic science.” His cheeks turned a dusty pink. Tim tilted the books forward so Jason could see the titles. His eyes flashed with recognition for a second before turning back to their regular cheeky aura.   
Jason threw his arm around Tim's shoulders, shoving his free hand in his pockets. “Those a bit advanced for a what, an...11 year old?” Jason looked Tim up and down before tilting his head, his signature smirk on his face.

“I'm 13!” Tim pouted, scowling slightly. To his surprise, Jason raised his eyebrows and suppressed a snort. Tim's brain hit a snag. That noise...it was similar. Eerily similar. He'd heard it not a few days ago...from Robin. Tim jerked away from Jason, his eyes wide. It made sense. The Crime Alley accent. The curly black hair. The more brawler fighting style than Nightwing as Robin. The more...adult vocabulary. But then who was Nightwi-DICK GRAYSON. Tim stumbled backwards, his brain whirring. That meant that Batman was Bruce Wayne...Oh my God, Batman was Bruce Wayne. 

Something was pulling Tim back from the depths of his brain...something warm and comforting. A hand? There was a hand on his shoulder, rubbing small circles into the skin. It was...nice. Tim blinked a few times before he realised it was Jason's hand on his shoulder.

“Kid? Kid, can you hear me?” Jason's eyebrows were furrowed and he was leaning down slightly so he was at Tim's eye level rather than the head taller he was naturally. His face only eased when Tim nodded numbly. “Good. Don't want you passing out on me or something.” Jason rolled his eyes in a way that was so Robin.   
“I'm sorry, I really need to get reading these.” With that, Tim slipped out of Jason's grip and sprinted in the direction of the study rooms. He heard Jason calling after him but he was too quick. In a smooth motion, the door was open and Tim was inside. He shakingly locked the door, pulling the blinds down.

“Batman...h-he. Oh no...Batman's met me. He knows my voice! He'll probably figure out that I'm HC.” Tim shakingly ran his hands through his hair. 'Batman knows who I am.' 


	4. Co-Hosts and Cases

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim and Stephane ask Batgirl for some help. 
> 
> AKA Barbara's first appearance!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THE PLOT THICKENS! I made a playlist for the fic sooooo…here's a link!  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ypWDlH8tUcbOCbXvHP0cJ?si=pyRmY2s_RS2Qac-dXNAvLQ

Tim was staring at a makeshift case file on his desk. It had pictures Steph had taken of the crime scene and possible evidence photos. The murder case was racking his brain. He didn’t quite have the skill to hack the security cameras near the alley yet, so he couldn’t get the suspect. Maybe he could reach out to Batman and Robin? They had Batgirl on their side.

Tim’s head snapped up from the case, causing his glasses to slip slightly. Batgirl. He could reach out to Batgirl without Batman and Robin’s eyes on him. He knew Stephanie had some ties with her after the Bat in question ran into Spoiler one night. Stephanie even had Batgirl on speed dial.   
He swept everything he needed for the case into his satchel along with his camera and shoved his converses on, sprinting out the front door. Tim grabbed his bike and pedalled as fast as he could to Stephanie’s house in Crime Alley. He had spent a lot of nights there having sleepovers with Steph since they would work on cases together until the early morning. They’d spent so much time together that, by now, he had a toothbrush over there. The journey was about 20 minutes, and the sun had set by the time Tim arrived at Stephanie’s house.

He knocked rapidly, practically vibrating with nerves. “Godammit, Steph… open the door!” Tim mumbled under his breath. His fingers were tapping on the strap of his satchel as he waited. After a couple agonising seconds, the door opened and there stood Stephanie.

“Hey, Timbo. You alright?” She cocked her head and gave him a look. “You look… really shaky.” She nervously laughed, holding the door open.

Tim just pushed past her. ”Is your mom home or is she at work?” He looked over his shoulder to see Stephanie shake her head, tap her ear and use a finger to make a circle in the air. He sighed, cursing in Chinese. Stephanie’s mom was home and she was listening to them.

“Fine. This is about the assignment we had at school. I was thinking we could ask your friend… the one with the purple jacket?” He raised his eyebrow at her and she nodded in response. There was a flurry of motions in sign language as Stephanie confirmed what she was thinking.

“Let’s go to the roof. We need to talk this over.” Tim sighed as he walked up the old stairs into Steph’s room. They could get to the roof through a skylight in her room with a small step ladder. The roof was where they spent the beginning of the patrol. “Steph, call your friend. She can help us with the assignment. She can look over the photos we have and do some research for us.” Tim stopped on one of the steps and turned back towards Stephanie. He gave her a determined yet somewhat scared look which she returned with a small nod.

They walked up to Stephanie’s room, pushing the skylight open and climbing up. Stephanie shut it behind her.

“Tim, what’s up? Why do you want me to call Batgirl?” She placed her hands on her hips and cocked them to one side. “You said this is about the case but… I thought you said we don’t want the Bats on our asses.” Tim just waved his hand in dismissal and pulled out the makeshift case file from his satchel.

“You see that? The vic has a gang symbol carved into his arm.” Tim pointed to the symbol, a small 56.

“Steph… that’s the 56 gang. They’re big. This isn’t just a murder… this is part of a gang war. Steph this is bigger than us. We need the Bats help on this one, plus Batgirl is the least likely to rat us out to Batman if we ask her not to.” Tim shrugged at her.

Stephanie sighed before pulling out her phone and calling Batgirl. She held it up to her ear, grabbing the case file from Tim and scanning it through. Steph’s eyes brightened as she talked animatedly to Batgirl. After a quick catch up, she briefed Batgirl on their case.

“I’m putting you on speaker so HC can hear you.” Steph put the phone on the gravel rooftop and pressed the speaker button. “There we go.”

“Alright, this is some pretty big stuff you’ve got. The 56 gang is relatively new and with the recent Arkham breakout, Batman and Robin have been pretty tied up so I’ve been trying to keep up with their patrols.” Batgirl sighed, the sound of typing could be heard in the background. “Their leaders are Kayla McCarty and Paris Diaz aka Ziggy and PD. Both have been arrested in the past for aggravated assault, drug trafficking, drug possession and assaulting a GCPD officer. Looks like they’ve only been out of Blackgate for a year.”

Tim spluttered. He thought he’d recognised the symbol. He’d helped put them away a couple years ago. Tim had given the GCPD the evidence to arrest them back in his information broker days.

“Batgirl, I know these people… I helped put them away a couple years back, I’ve still got a copy of the files I sent to the GCPD. Can you send me anything you have on them so we can compare notes?” Tim raised an eyebrow.

“On it”, She replied. “So HC, you were the one delivering boxes of evidence to Commissioner Gordon. Bats was so stumped that he dropped it, and you know how stubborn he is. I’m taking a guess that you don’t want us Bats on the case?” Tim could almost hear the smirk in her voice.

He chuckled, leaning back a little bit. “Yeah. You Bats stay away. This is mine and Spoiler’s case. We found it first and I intended to solve it first.” He was about to say goodbye when something occurred to him. “Actually… if you could tell Robin that grabbing someone by the elbow isn’t exactly the best way to get their attention.” Tim grinned. A few seconds of silence stretched by before Batgirl hung up the phone.

“Well… looks like Robin’s going to swing by Drake Manor soon.”


	5. Brothers and Beer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason talks to Dick about his growing crush on Tim!
> 
> AKA the first of chapters from Jason's POV! (there is a bit from Tim's POV but most of this chapter is Jason)

Jason flopped backwards onto his bed, hands in his hair. He closed his eyes and Tim’s piercing blue eyes stared right back at him. He couldn’t shake their meeting from a few days ago from his mind. There was something about Tim Drake that was magnetic, something about the way he looked at Jason made his heart skip a beat.

Tim’s jet black hair had been slightly windswept. His beautiful eyes were somewhat hidden by the glasses he was wearing but they stood out so much you just couldn’t miss them. He had been wearing a science pun t-shirt, jeans and a plaid shirt over it. The headphones around his neck only added to the indie vibe Tim gave off.

“That hipster motherfucker with the fucking plaid shirt and gorgeous face and effortless handsomeness! That asshole!” Jason hissed, blushing while he ranted.   
Opening his eyes, Jason groaned. He couldn’t get Tim out of his head. 

“Fuck it, I need a beer.” The raven haired teen cursed, swinging his legs off the bed and onto the floor. He stood up, started to walk down the hallway and towards the kitchen. He swung the kitchen door open and paused at who he saw. Dick Grayson was sitting on a kitchen counter, eating cereal at 2 in the morning.

Jason frowned, tilting his head. “The fuck you doing awake?” His older brother looked up, a spoonful of cereal half way in his mouth.

“Bored. Tests I’m running will take at least another hour.” He continued eating, swaying his legs back and forth. Jason just rolled his eyes and shuffled over to the fridge, grabbing a beer.

“Jaybird, you are not having that. That’s alcohol!” Dick whispered, as if Bruce or Alfred would appear at the mention of underage drinking. Jason flipped him off and opened the bottle, taking a swig.

“Kinda the point, asshole. Can’t get a guy of my mind so I figured a drink would help.” Jason shrugged, leaning against the kitchen island. He immediately regretted his last statement when Dick’s eyes lit up.

“Ooo~ You got a crush, Jaybird?” Dick grinned. He shimmied over to Jason, finger gunning. “Tell me about him!”

“You might know. It’s the Drake’s kid…” Jason blushed slightly and took another swig of alcohol. “I ran into him at the library earlier.”

Dick must have recognised the name because he clicked his fingers. “Yeah! Yay tall?” Dick put his hand at about 5’3. “Blue eyes, black hair?” Jason nodded. “You have a crush on Timmy Drake?!”

Jason turned beet red. “It’s not a crush! He’s just stuck in my head!” He took a massive gulp of beer, feeling a small buzz. “Those fucking eyes.” He hissed.

Dick laughed, pointing at him. “You do! You have a crush on Timmy Drake! I can’t believe it!” he clutched his stomach, laughing hysterically. “Big bad Jason Todd has a crush! Oh man, I can finally go full older brother!” In response, Jason punched him in the arm. Jason scowled, glaring at the countertop.

After a few seconds, Jason piped up. “Is it... a crush? I just.. I can’t get my mind off him and god my heart keeps skipping a beat and I get butterflies.” At this Dick’s face softened and he stopped laughing.

“Littlewing… do you not know what a crush feels like?” He watched as Jason shook his head. “Christ ok, well… you want to hold their hand and kiss them. You want to make them feel happy and loved… but what makes it a crush is if you can’t stop thinking about them. No matter what, your brain sees them everywhere. Like what was he wearing?” Dick waved his hand and gestured for Jason to talk.

Jason bit his lip, not wanting to answer immediately. “A science pun shirt, some Robin converses and a plaid shirt.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

“Ok, so… you know it’s a crush when you see a plaid shirt and think of Tim. Or you see a science pun t-shirt and think of him. Jay, you know when you think about your life and they’re in it.” The way Dick said the last sentence made Jason look at him.

“So… if I end up thinking about him a lot and can’t get him off my mind, it’s a crush. When I can’t think about my life without them in it… it’s love.” Jason bit his lip. “That’s how you feel about Barbie isn’t it? You can’t think about your life without thinking of her…” Jason moved his gaze from Dick back to the countertop.

“Spoiler’s partner, HC…. he mentioned me running into Tim. He said something about me grabbing his elbow.” Jason fiddled with the beer bottle in his hands. “Barbie said HC told her to tell me… directly. I’ve got a weird feeling about this, Dick.” Jason could feel Dick’s eyes on him but he didn’t look up.

“Why don’t you go see Tim after patrol tomorrow? That way you can at least get some answers. Plus, I’ve heard he’s a bit of a fan of Robin.” Dick winked. He stood up and grabbed his bowl of cereal. “Well… I’m going to go check on that test and then head to bed. You should too Littlewing.”

“Night, Dickface.” Jason chuckled, finishing off his beer. 

For some strange reason, Jason took Dick’s advice and decided to go see Tim after patrol. So there he was, perched on top of the roof of Drake Manor. How did HC know about his meeting with Tim? Were Tim Drake and HC friends? He was missing something. It didn’t sit right with him, so here he was, at 1 in the morning in his Robin gear.   
There was a small breeze in the air, moving some of his curls. The domino mask on his face was comforting, something only a vigilante would understand. Rolling his eyes, Jason doubled himself over and flipped onto the windowsill of Tim Drake’s bedroom window.

“Hey there, pretty boy”, he smirked, making himself look casual. Jason nearly smirked when Tim jumped about 4 feet in the air and flailed his arms, screaming and cursing in what sounded like Chinese.

“Wha- Do not sneak up on me like that, Robin!” Tim pouted, crossing his arms. His jet black hair falling in front of his face, framing it gently. He was wearing a Batman shirt with some sweatpants. Jason could’ve sworn he saw Tim close his laptop but he wasn’t sure.

“Whatcha working on? Anything interesting?” Jason stepped off the windowsill and into the room. He went to lift up the laptop screen but was stopped by Tim snatching it from him. “Oh come on, pretty boy. You don’t have to hide things from me.” He smirked when Tim blushed at the nickname.

“It’s nothing interesting. Just some school stuff.” Tim shrugged. However the fact that he was clutching the laptop close to his chest said the complete opposite.

“Fine, keep your secrets. Look, I came here because Batgirl said HC mentioned you in a call. You friends with him?” Jason raised an eyebrow and leaned against the wall. He took a second to look around Tim’s room.

It was covered in posters, there was a Flying Graysons poster that caught Jason’s eye. What made Jason feel a bit uneasy however was a large box underneath Tim’s bed that was somewhat covered by a blanket. It was filled with what looked like zip lock bags. He could see one of the labels on a bag, it was ‘Poison Ivy toxin (analyse)’. Jason froze, his eyes fixed on the box. He saw Tim follow his eyes and also freeze.

“What. The. Fuck. Is. That?” Jason growled, pointing at the box. Tim just squeaked. “Cause I saw the words Poison Ivy and toxin in there. Are you telling me you’ve got Ivy’s toxin under your goddamn bed? You got a death wish, kid?!”

Tim didn’t say anything. He just shook his head slightly and kept a straight face. Jason couldn’t read him at all, Tim wasn’t giving anything away. Jason threw his hands in the air.

“Because you seem like a good kid, I’m not gonna take that shit away from you.” Jason sighed, running his hands through his hair. He then walked back to the windowsill. “You got any more secrets?” Jason waited for a minute. He heard Tim reply with something extremely cryptid.   
Jason rolled his eyes, leaping out the window and towards his motorbike at the bottom of the drive.

* * *

It had been 4 days since Robin had shown up at Tim’s house. He’d nearly freaked out when Robin noticed the box of evidence Tim kept under his bed. Ever since then Tim had been on edge, wondering if Robin was going to come back and punch him for keeping evidence under his bed. 

Tim had been sitting on the roof of Stephanie’s house when Robin swung by. Robin had thrown a bo staff at him.

"You’re learning to fight.” Tim had immediately thrown the bo staff back.

“Robin, it’s fine! I don’t need to learn how to defend myself.” Tim chuckled, holding his hands out in mock surrender as Robin repeatedly thrust the bo staff out towards him.

“Uh huh, how many times have you been mugged? You’re learning how to fight, pretty boy.” Robin sassed back, raising an eyebrow. Tim huffed and snatched the bo staff from Robin’s hands.

“Ok… how do I do this again?” Tim chuckled, watching as Robin rolled his eyes and stepped behind him. Robin wrapped his arms around Tim and started moving his hands to the correct place on the staff.

Tim blushed bright red, his heartbeat spiking. He shook his head a little bit and refocused on the lesson. This was something Tim had to learn if he ever wanted to go out in the field.

“Ok, think of the bo staff as an extension of your body. You need to get used to it before you even think about using it as a weapon.” Robin sighed, his breath tickling Tim’s shoulder. “Try it.” Tim felt his warmth fade as Robin stepped back.

Tim took a deep breath and rolled his wrist, getting used to its weight. He was deliberately trying to look a bit clumsy since he didn’t want to give away the fact that he’d already mastered the bo staff and had a collapsible one strapped to the underside of his t-shirt right now.

Stephanie had given him one after Tim had gotten hurt thanks to a mugging gone wrong. He’d then taken up martial arts after school so he could not only defend himself but also teach some to Steph. Steph was starting to use a bo staff or escrima sticks now.

Tim smirked slightly. If he was going to be underestimated by Robin then he might as well blow his mind. He started spinning the staff around his hand and doing moves he knew only a master could do.

“Like this?” His smirk grew wider when he saw Robin’s mouth agape, arms by his side.

“Y-You know how to use a bo staff?! How?! When?! Where?!” Robin stumbled over his words as he flailed his arms in the air. Tim simply threw the staff in the air and did a standing backflip, kicking his legs out as if hitting an opponent. He slowly looked over his shoulder.

Robin had closed his mouth and the shock had gone this time replaced by slight anger.

“So what, you were just fucking with me? What more don’t I know about you?!” Robin yelled and crossed his arms. Tim’s smile faltered and the mischievous expression on his face gave way to guilt.

“Robin, I didn’t mean to hu-” Tim was cut off by Robin spinning on his heel and pulling out his grappling gun.

“You got any more secrets?” Tim sighed and gave the same answer he gave Robin the previous night.

“None you need to know.”


	6. Galas and Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim sneaks into a Wayne Gala and ends up having to distract Jason!
> 
> AKA The BatCat parallel is real

Tim looked himself up and down. He was wearing a tailored suit with a dark grey shirt instead ofwhite. After a second, he tore his eyes away. He hated wearing a suit, it just reminded him that his parents weren’t home...but also of Stray. Of the pain that came with Stray.

He sniffled and brushed off the tear that rolled down his cheek. No, not now. He could let himself feel pain after the mission was done.

Tim slipped a comms unit in his ear and finished tying his tie. “Steph, you read me?”

“Loud and clear, HC. You ready to go into the lion’s den?” Tim rolled his eyes. They’d taken to calling galas the lion’s den since the atmosphere was often like you were being hunted.

“Let’s hope I can hold it together.” Tim let out a wet chuckle, dusting down his shirt.

“HC, you ok? Is it ‘cause of…” Tim didn’t have to hear what Stephanie was going to say to know what she meant. She was talking about what happened the year before, when he was Stray.

Tim just took a deep breath. “Yeah. You don’t exactly feel great when it’s the anniversary of your near death.” He choked slightly. “But I’ll be ok. I have to be for this mission to go smoothly.”

“Ok...just let me know if anything triggers you.” Tim could hear the concern in Steph’s voice but was thankful that she didn’t pressure him.

Tim slipped out of the alleyway he was in. It wasn’t unusual for Tim to bike halfway across Gotham and change into his suit in a back alley. The unusual part was that it was for a mission. He double checked the time and then made his way towards where the gala was being held, Gotham Theatre.

Getting in was the easy part. Tim had memorized the blueprints so he knew exactly where to get in without the guards noticing an uninvited guest. Plus, he didn’t need to be seen. All he needed to do was keep track of everyone at the gala and follow anyone that left for the East Wing. 

Tim could see the building now. He dived behind a wall, flush against it. He waited a few seconds before turning to his left and silently running down the stairs to the staff entrance. 

A couple twists and turns later, Tim could see the red velvet curtains of the main room. Faint music could be heard from that direction as well. Tim lifted up the edge of the curtain slightly and slipped in, completely unnoticed. 

After half an hour of mingling and pretending to drink champagne, Tim noticed a tall raven boy walking towards him. 

“My my, is that Tim Drake?” Jason smirked, his hands in his pockets. Jason was wearing a dark red undershirt with a waistcoat, suit trousers and converse. Despite Jason’s outfit being on the more casual side for a gala, it was amazing. “You look good.”

“You too, Jason Todd.” Tim smirked. “The red really brings out your eyes. Makes them...shine.” Tim waved a glass of champagne in his hand. 

“Please, tell me you are as bored as I am.” Jason whined. 

Tim just chuckled. “Perhaps a dance would help?” He saw Jason blush slightly, nodding. Jason grabbed Tim’s hand and almost dragged him onto the dance floor, finding a vacant spot. 

Jason moved Tim’s hands to his shoulder, moving his own hands to Tim’s waist. The two of them began to sway to the music. Jason was tense, his movements stiff. 

“Relax, baby.” Tim whispered into Jason’s ear, feeling the taller boy shudder. Jason’s movements became more fluid and he started leaning into Tim. 

Halfway through the song, Tim leaned forward again. “You really should run now, babe. Soon it’ll be too late and you’ll be wrapped around my finger.” Tim twirled a finger in the air to emphasise his point.

Jason’s eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed slightly, looking extremely confused but also a bit flustered. “The fuck you me-” Before Jason could finish, Tim had slipped out of his grasp and had blended back in with the crowd. 

Their game of cat and mouse lasted a good half an hour thanks to Steph telling Tim when Jason was starting to catch up with him. 

“Shit. Thief’s just got to the East Wing. Think you can distract Robin long enough?” Tim scoffed slightly. 

“Spoiler...it would be my pleasure.” He smirked and quickly scanned the room. Spotting Jason, Tim waved at him and gave away his position. He saw Jason growl and sprint in his direction. 

In one slick move, Tim ducked behind the red velvet curtain and hid himself in the dark hallway. He waited for about a minute before he heard the moving of fabric and mumbled curses. Tim chose that moment to reveal himself to Jason. 

Jason’s eyes widened in surprise and then quickly narrowed. He stormed over, pinning Tim against the wall. “The fuck you playing at, kid?” He growled out. 

A loud crash stopped Tim from responding. He rolled his eyes. Dammit, Steph. 

“What was that?” Jason looked in the direction the crash came from, squinting slightly. Tim cursed and grabbed Jason’s shirt collar, yanking it. Jason’s face turned back to Tim, quickly turning bright red. “Tim wha-”

“Oh shut up, Jay.” Tim rolled his eyes, pulling Jason towards him and crashing their lips together. He moved his free hand to the back of Jason’s neck, keeping him close and closing his eyes. He heard Jason let out a surprised noise, freezing up. 

After a few seconds, Jason eased up and started to kiss back. His eyes fluttered shut. His hands found Tim’s cheek and shirt. Jason pulled Tim closer and tilted his head to kiss him more. 

Tim played with the ends of Jason’s curls, causing Jason to bite Tim’s lip. The kiss lasted a few more seconds before they both had to pull away for air. Panting, Tim opened his eyes to see Jason’s still closed. A millisecond later they were open, staring back at Tim. 

Jason’s shirt was crumpled up and his hair was even more of a mess, his lips slightly pink. His face was bright red, almost like a tomato. “Tim...what th-”   
Tim cut Jason off by pressing a finger to Jason’s lips. “Sorry, baby. Our little game was fun but unfortunately, I have to run.” With that, Tim ducked under Jason’s arms and darted down the hallway towards the nearest exit.


	7. Wheelchairs and Hot Choco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim goes to see Jason after Barbara Gordon is shot. 
> 
> AKA Jason making sure Tim doesn't get sick.

About a month had passed since the gala, and Tim’s unease was rising. It had been too quiet. Something was wrong.

It was only when he saw the news did he figure out what was wrong until it was too late. Tim’s leg was bouncing up and down. Barbara Gordon had just been shot by Joker. He was waiting for a text from Steph, in his room. She was with Barbara, who was in a medically induced coma. Tim didn’t know the details, but he knew one thing. There would no longer be Batgirl with fiery red hair. 

He felt his phone vibrate, causing his head to snap down. It was a message from Steph. 

‘Doctors say she’ll live. She won’t be able to walk again.’ Tim’s vision blurred. He put his phone down and buried his face in his hands. Barbara wouldn’t walk again. Jesus, how was Dick taking this? Or Jason… 

Tim remembered how Jason had just missed getting hurt by Joker 6 months previously and how Tim had been the one to save him via a file that he had on Sheila Haywood. Now Barbara… Jason was going to be furious. 

“I’ve gotta go see him.” Tim threw on a jacket and converses, sprinting to his bike. It was pouring down with rain but he didn’t care, even if Tim was soaked within minutes. His legs were aching by the time he reached Wayne Manor. 

“Please be home, please be home.” Tim shivered, ringing the doorbell. A couple agonising seconds later, the door opened to reveal a weary Jason Todd. 

He blinked a couple times. “Tim? What the fuck are you doing, get inside!” Jason pulled Tim in, closing the door. “I’ll give you a change of clothes.” He lifted Tim up, bridal style, and started carrying him to his room. He kicked the door open and carefully lowered Tim onto his bed. 

“Why… What are you doing?” Tim mumbled, his teeth chattering. Jason was furiously looking through his drawers, trying to find something for Tim. 

“What you mean, bringing you out of a storm and giving you a change of clothes because you’re bound to get sick if you don’t?” Jason raised an eyebrow, handing the clothes to Tim. “Go put these on. I’m gonna get you a fucking hot choco.” With that, Jason stormed out the room and slammed the door behind him. 

Tim blinked a couple times in shock before shuffling towards the bathroom. He placed the clothes Jason gave him on the countertop and took a second to look at them. The long-sleeved shirt had a faded Wonder Woman logo on it, the sweatpants had a small Batsymbol and of course a pair of white boxers. He pulled his clothes off, grimacing at how they stuck to his skin. The clothes Jason had given him were a bit too big on him, so Tim had to roll the sweatpants a couple times so he wasn’t tripping up on them and the shirt hung off him. 

He ruffled his still wet hair and stepped out of the bathroom. Jason was sitting on his bed, his head resting on his knuckles. Two steaming mugs of hot chocolate were sitting on the bedside table. One of the mugs had whipped cream and marshmallows where the other one didn’t. 

Jason looked up at the sound of the bathroom door closing and perked up a bit. He grabbed the mug with whipped cream and marshmallows, holding it out to Tim. “There you go, Alfred makes the best hot choco.” Tim blushed slightly at the gesture and gratefully took the mug. It wasn’t coffee, but it still made him feel warm. 

“Better?” Jason raised an eyebrow, cradling his own mug. 

Tim nodded and inched closer to Jason who was radiating heat. Jason didn’t seem bothered by it though, instead he pulled Tim closer and wrapped an arm around him. 

“Thanks…” Tim blushed darker and snuggled into Jason. The two of them sat in silence for a while, drinking from their mugs. 

Jason set his now empty mug down and rubbed his hands together, clearly holding something back. Tim finished off his drink and wiped off the cream that had found its way onto his upper lip. “What is it? I know you want to say something.”

“Why did you come here? There’s a storm going on and you biked for, what... half an hour, just to get here?” Jason raised his eyebrows. 

Tim had been expecting this question but he was not expecting the genuine concern in Jason’s voice. His body language was practically screaming in worry. 

“I heard about Barbara… I knew how you’d react and-” Tim was cut off by Jason’s face contorting into confusion. “I know. About Bruce, Dick, Barbara… and you.” He tapped the mug in his hands. “I know what happened in Ethiopia… what really happened.” 

Jason shot up from the bed. “How do you know that?” His tone wasn’t aggressive, it was more… confused and shocked. “How do you know about Ethiopia?” That, Jason seemed slightly angry about. 

Tim put his mug down on the bedside table and turned to look at Jason. “Because I’m the one that saved you. I was the one that sent the files. I was the one that saved your life, Jason.” The silence afterwards was agonizing. He could still feel Jason’s eyes burning a hole in him. 

“That was you?” Jason raised his eyebrows and relaxed slightly, his arms still crossed. Tim simply nodded and moved his fiddling to the shirt’s sleeves. 

“Look… I know you’re gonna lecture me and everyth-” Tim didn’t get to finish his sentence thanks to Jason surging forward and kissing him. The kiss was quick but that almost made it shocking. 

After a minute of Tim trying to reboot his brain, he finally said something. “Wh-what… what was that?” He noticed Jason’s flushed cheeks and averted gaze. “Jay, why… why’d you...” 

Jason spluttered and started tapping against the wall. “Well… you, uh, saved my life. I figured I should thank you for that.” He nervously chuckled. “Kiss is a good a thank you as any.” 

Tim reached forward and grabbed Jason’s hand, causing the raven haired boy to look him in the eyes. “Jay…” He paused before realising that he had been going to reveal his identity. No. Not yet. He had to carry on the mission first. “Um...Jay? Can I stay here tonight? I don’t really wanna go back out in the storm.”  
He saw Jason deflate slightly but that was quickly covered up with a grin. “Sure. I’ll go ask Alfie to get a room sorted.” Jason promptly left the room, leaving Tim battling with his thoughts. 

“What am I doing?” 


	8. Sass and Abandonment Issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim wakes up after spending the night at Wayne Manor. 
> 
> AKA Sassy and Angsty Tim

It was about 11 o’clock when Tim finally located the kitchen. His hair was a mess and the bags under his eyes were more prominent than ever. He’d spent all night solving cases and looking over suit designs for Stephanie. It didn’t help that he hadn’t slept the previous night either. 

Tim groaned, glancing around the kitchen. He found what he was looking for and moved mindlessly to the coffee machine in the corner. He didn’t even notice Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne sitting at the breakfast bar. The only thing on his mind right now was coffee. It was only after he’d downed his first cup did he see the two other men in the room. 

“AH! Oh...um… hi?” He awkwardly filled up his mug again. 

Dick gave Tim a funny look before shrugging and continuing to look at his phone. Bruce on the other hand, smiled slightly. 

“You alright there, Tim? You look dead on your feet.” Bruce gestured to the mug of coffee in Tim’s hands. 

Tim chuckled nervously. “Oh yeah… I didn’t sleep last night. Or the night before.” He mentally counted in his head. 

Bruce’s eyebrows went practically into his hairline. “You haven’t slept in two days? Tim, buddy, have you been doing all night?” He gave Tim a somewhat stern look, the same one he gave Robin, Tim noticed. 

“Did Jason tell you what I said to him yesterday?” Tim mumbled, staring at the floor. 

“Yes, he did.” Bruce sighed. 

“Well, I was working cases for HC. He’s had a lot on his plate lately and well, with Barbara… it’s gonna be all hands on deck.” Tim shrugged. He took another sip of his coffee, not caring that it burnt his tongue slightly. “I was also working on some suit designs for Spoiler.” He looked up to see a rather shocked acrobatic mid-chew and a blank faced Bruce Wayne. 

“Tim… you need sleep. Depriving yourself of that is… it’s not healthy.” Bruce walked forward and gently placed his hand on Tim’s shoulder. Tim slowly looked up at Bruce, trying not to give anything away. 

Tim shook his head. “It’s not that much different from what you do, Mr Wayne.” He moved himself away from Bruce and took another sip of coffee. The older man’s face showed a bit of shock before returning to it’s normal blank. “After all you’re reading yesterday's paper, which suggests that you weren’t able to read it before today. The recent murder that HC, Spoiler and I have been working on has also been weighing on your conscience, because you can’t figure out where their hideout is. I’d say you haven’t had a good night's sleep in about a week.” Tim stared at Bruce, keeping his face blank but with a hint of sass. 

“It doesn’t help that, while I was looking at cases, I hacked into the Batcomputer via HC’s access. You have 10 open cases and another 4 that have hit a dead end. I managed to solve all but two of them in one night. I’ve already sent the information to HC so he’ll close those cases within a day. I have one other thing to say… do not tell me how I should live my life without following your own advice, Mr Wayne.” Tim took a sip of his coffee and left the kitchen, leaving the two awestruck detectives. 

Tim was about half way down the hallway when he heard Dick Grayson yell. “OOOOOHHH!” He smirked to himself and took another sip of coffee. 

He made his way into the guest bedroom that Alfred had set up for him and reopened his laptop. There was a message from Stephanie. 

‘Tim. Barbara woke up and said that I have to be Batgirl. Gotham needs a Batgirl but they don’t need a Spoiler.’ 

Tim shut his laptop, scurried off his bed and stumbled into the nearby bathroom. If Steph was going to become Batgirl then… she wouldn’t need HC anymore. Agent A would quickly fill in what she needed. She didn’t need HC anymore. She left him. She just threw him away! She threw him away just like his parents did!

He leaned down, turned on the tap and splashed some water on his face. 

“Focus Tim. Focus.”

HC existed because Spoiler needed him. If she didn’t… then HC didn’t need to exist. 

Tim shook his head. No… just because Spoiler didn’t need HC anymore didn’t mean Gotham didn’t need HC. 

Gotham needed HC, they just didn’t know it yet. He could run his radio show as a way to make HC more well known. Less of a sidekick to Spoiler. More of his own identity. He could solve cases while the show was running. Maybe he could ask Jason if he wanted to guest star? Use his comms to call in? That would mean Tim would get first hand information without having to go out in the field and still maintain his presence as HC. 

First things first, gear. He still had the gear he’d used as Stray in his wardrobe plus the whip Selina had given him. He’d have to change it a bit so it wasn’t so clearly Stray. Maybe a splash of orange? It would contrast with the black. 

Second, a mask. That would be easy enough. Tim’s got the resources to get one made for him.

Third, a name. Well he’s already got that down. 

It’s time Tim stopped hiding behind the shadows and made his own path. It was time HC made his mark. 


	9. Justice and Whips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tim's first run on the field as HC!
> 
> AKA Badass Tim!

A soft breeze swept through Gotham, ruffling Tim’s hair slightly. The orange tinted goggles rested against his head, his whip was coiled around a belt loop and his collapsible bo staff was tucked in a pouch. He was wearing a simple black kevlar shirt with some orange shoulder, elbow and knee pads. A dagger was strapped to each thigh with holsters. 

Tim’s head spun to the left, he could hear sirens. Guess it was time to join the action. 

Tim pulled down his goggles and fired his grappling hook, letting himself fall over the building's edge and swing towards the sirens. He pushed himself off another building to gain momentum and did a slow backflip in the air before shooting his grappling hook out again. Tim glanced down mid-flight to get an idea of what was happening down below. 

Multiple GCPD squad cars were chasing what looked like a Wayne Enterprises truck that had a circular hole cut on the top. From the slight burning around it, the circle was most likely made from some kind of laser. Great,Tim thought, the people who broke into the truck had a laser… just great. If he could get closer… slash the tires and immobilise the truck. Wait no, first he had to find out what was in the truck.

Tim swung through the air, building up as much momentum as he could before swan diving down, towards the truck. He pulled out his whip and threw it at a metal bar on the truck’s roof to pull himself forward. He grabbed onto the truck, groaning as the fall knocked the wind out of him. Tim was very glad he was wearing his goggles otherwise the wind from the moving truck would’ve made it impossible to see.

“What was that?” Tim heard a distinctly male voice shout from the truck. Tim rolled his eyes and with a flick of his wrist, unlooped his whip from the metal bar and clipped it back into his belt. The truck was too small for him to use his bo staff, so he guessed his fists would have to do for now. He flipped through the hole and landed silently.

There were two thugs in the truck. One was holding a backpack open while the other was moving vials into it. Neither of them noticed Tim slip inside. 

“Wassup?” Tim smirked. The two thugs jumped slightly before charging at Tim. One of the thugs dropped the backpack. Tim heard the clanking of vials. 

Tim dodged the first thug, tripping him up. He elbowed the second thug in the stomach, which he followed with two punches to the face. One gave the thug a very broken nose and the other knocked him out. By then, the first thug had gotten up. Tim jumped up, grabbing the edge of the hole in the roof and used his legs to strangle the thug. He let go when he was sure the thug was unconscious. 

Tim dropped back down onto the truck floor. He stepped over the thugs’ bodies to grab the backpack. He opened it and immediately paled. The vials were filled with a chemical Tim knew quite well. This was fear toxin. The GCPD must have gotten them after their most recent raid on Scarecrow’s hideout, after Batman and Robin had sent him to Arkham. The toxin’s must have been on their way to Wayne Enterprises to be tested since, like many other villains, Scarecrow changed the chemical makeup every so often to make the antidotes less effective and sometimes even worse. 

Tim zipped up the backpack and swung it over his shoulders, making sure it was secure before delivering a swift kick to one of the thugs. 

He darted against the dividing wall between the storage unit and the driver’s unit. Tim peered through the glass and saw the third thug. This one was slightly bulkier than the other two so he would definitely be more of a pain to take down. What made Tim even more worried was the gun resting against the gear box. 

Tim stepped back a bit. He’d have to grab the gun without thug #3 noticing. He could knock out the tires and deal with the thug when they were in a slightly more open area. He couldn’t get to the thug currently, the wall was in the way. 

Tim groaned before jumping back up and climbing out the circular hole. He sunk his grappling hook onto the side, wrapping the wire around his waist so he could lower himself down. Tim breathed a slight sigh of relief, that the GCPD was still tailing the truck. He held up his palm in what he assumed was the universal sign of stop. Tim pulled his dagger out of its holster, twirled it slightly before jabbing it into the truck’s back tire. 

The truck veered violently as it was now running on 3 wheels instead of 4. Tim frantically climbed back up the wire and detached himself from his grappling hook. It was then that the truck decided to spin and flip. 

Tim leapt off it, not wanting to get crushed. Luckily, the GCPD cars had stopped so he wasn’t run over by them. However, he did hit the tarmac and rolled numerous times. 

Tim’s ears were ringing and his muscles were screaming in pain. He groaned, slowly pushing himself to his feet. He shook his head before locating the now upturned truck. 

“Oops.” Tim winced. He spotted thug #3 crawling out of the truck, holding the gun and almost threw his hands in the air in pure irritation. 

The thug must’ve seen him, because he aimed his gun at Tim, and started to walk forward. 

“Oh for the love of-” Tim cursed under his breath and uncoiled his whip again. “Look, I don’t have time for this.” He deadpanned at the thug. The thug tilted his head in confusion. “Hand yourself in or I’ll kick your ass.”

The thug thought about it for a second before shaking his head. Tim smirked and cracked his whip, slashing the thugs hand and making him drop the gun. Tim then spun around, wrapping the whip around the thugs throat. He yanked it down, forcing the thug to the ground. When the thug was unconscious, Tim released the whip and leaned down. 

“That’ll teach you not to mess with me.” He hissed and punched the thug in the face for good measure. 

Tim tied the third thug up and dragged him towards the wreckage of the Wayne Enterprises truck. He tapped his chin in mock thought before taking out his dagger and slashing the initials HC in the thugs cheek. 

With a final look back at the scene and making sure one of the non-corrupt cops started walking up to the thugs, Tim shot his grappling hook and flew up onto the rooftops. 


End file.
